


The Journal

by LoneWolfSC05



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-20
Updated: 2013-10-20
Packaged: 2017-12-29 22:46:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1011012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoneWolfSC05/pseuds/LoneWolfSC05
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This started as a fic challenge prompt that turned into something WAY bigger than it probably should be!!</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Journal

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt: Your hometown has been destroyed by a Kaiju, most your family safe, now tucked away inland. You've put your skills to good use and join the Defence Corp. A new Jaeger has been shipped to your Shatterdome and it needs a team, pilots and techs. You're in the LOCCENT and Stacker has informed you that you're a shoe-in for the team. You know who else is aiming for a spot, even have a few in mind that you want joining up with you. How do you reply, what happens next? (Full on AU btw, go wild) 
> 
> Oh yeah, I took it AU alright!!! Also, THIS PART IS VERY IMPORTANT!!! 
> 
> **The timeline isn't perfect. I was using the timeline from the Pacific Rim wiki and had no way to back it up since my novelization is currently on loan. Some of the dates didn't seem to match up (in my mind) so I just best guessed/ BS'ed my way with them. I do sincerely apologize for that.
> 
> **This is written to NOT be perfect. As you can imply from the horrid title (I suck at those MAJORLY) this is supposed to be written in journal entry form. I know I should've probably paragraphed them better but I was trying to go for the sense of having limited space and conservation of page space was needed since this was supposed to be written in an actual journal not on a computer.
> 
> **This i my first entry here on A03, so I'm still learning my way around (such as how to separate works up into chapters). I do apologize for the length of this note and for the length of this work and I promise to get better!!!
> 
> I hope you enjoy my crazy rambling and please know that future works will NOT be this bad!! I hope anyway!!
> 
> ***************************

November 7, 2024

I’ve never really been one to keep a steady journal in the past but I figured that with what’s going on right now in the world, it’ll be a bit therapeutic and help me maintain a somewhat healthy level of insanity, so I’ll give it another shot. It’s been three days since the unthinkable happened: a kaiju attack on the eastern seaboard. People always say that humor can help lighten a situation so here goes; in a way, it was a zombie kaiju that attacked. Considering that the kaiju came through the breach a week ago, on Halloween of all days, the comparison seems only fitting. “Fiend” as they called it attacked Acapulco and was seemingly killed by the Australian Jaeger team, Striker Eureka. The bastard was apparently playing possum because he came back. Unless the zombie thing is actually true, I think that somehow the scientist types on board trying to “study” it managed to do something; something they shouldn’t have done. The official word being spread is that Fiend somehow revived while on the way to disposal. And wouldn’t you know it, it would’ve had to happen off the coast of South Carolina. Charleston is gone. That was the first place that was hit after the reptilian son of a bitch managed to slip off the boat. Whatever brought the demon back to life didn’t last long and remarkably being mostly dead to begin with made it easier to kill when the Air Force showed up. Thankfully most of the city was able to be evacuated before it got there, but there were others who weren’t so lucky. The harbor was area that was hit the hardest; the Ravenell Bridge, once called the “diamond in the rough”, now stands in ruin; a monument to those who couldn’t make it out in time. My dad is one of the many names on the list and so is the husband of a close friend. We’ve invited the Deans to stay with us with family farther inland while we try and sort through what to do next. Although Nick, Tyler and I have already decided: we’re going to join up with the PPDC. We’re heading to LA in two days. Now the hard part: to tell our parents.

 

November 10, 2024

We arrived at the Los Angeles Shatterdome yesterday and I gotta say, pictures do NOT do this place justice!! It’s amazing!! After the guided the tour, the three of us were shown to our rooms and thankfully we’re on the same hall right next to each other. And the good news doesn’t stop there: supposedly there’s a new type of Jaeger being shipped here and should be here within a couple of days. It’s not completed so the search is on for a crew, pilots and team. Which brings me to my next thought: our positions here at the Shatterdome. Tyler is slated to be placed in LOCCENT, Nick is leaning towards the mechanical and construction aspects of everyday life with PPDC. As for me, no one isn’t really quite 100% sure where to place me. My multiple interests can put me in either of those two positions or worse: a shot at going for piloting. Tyler and Nick are pushing me towards it but I’m not sure. My decision has to be made by the morning so I’ll sleep on it. Even though I’m not confident about it, I’ll probably go for it. And even more exciting news: it seems we’ll be getting a visit from Striker Eureka herself! It seems the Hansens will be here to help with training while repairs and a few modifications are being made to the Jaeger. Seeing a Mark V up close is going to be AMAZING! I am not ashamed to say that I’m giddy as a school girl. Speaking of, I know a lot of the women here will be wearing the most revealing clothes that they can get away with considering Mr. Dimples will be sticking around for a few days. And I’ve heard some rumors surrounding Chuck Hansen’s and what he can pull off by flashing that smile of his!

 

November 13, 2024

It’s a Good News, Bad News, More Bad News kinda day. Guess I’ll start with the good news. Somehow… I got in!! I’ve been accepted into the pilot training program!! The past week has been surreal. I can’t help but feel guilty for being so excited when so much has changed within the last few days. But I guess I’m trying to use this to motivate me and not dwell in the past. That can’t accomplish anything so I’m gonna do my damndest to make my dad proud and try and end this war. Therefore, depending on how the next few weeks go, I could possibly be piloting my own Jaeger! Which brings me to the Bad News: our new Jaeger never made it to LA. Apparently some kaiju groupie sympathizers made a terrorist run on the transport. About a billion dollars is at the bottom of the Pacific in pieces. Other than the Jaeger, there were no casualties which is about all the good that can come from a situation like this. The more bad news now… Rumors are going around that LA might be the next Shatterdome to close down. The bigwigs who oversee the funding and operations for the PPDC are closing us down, one by one to focus on the “Wall of Life” project. Do they REALLY think that a giant slab of concrete reinforced with steel beams will be enough to keep out rampaging, alien monsters hell bent on our destruction? The Jaeger program is the only real viable solution to staying alive and we’re being taken off the offensive for a gambit that could cost us dearly in the end. Hopefully the rumors will stay rumors and we won’t have to focus on that anytime soon. As for me, I need to focus on training... which starts tomorrow morning. Marshall Pentecost and Sergeant Hansen will be overseeing numerous training operations and other things that I have no idea where to start to describe. Meanwhile, Dimples will be the head of pilot training exercises. Oh joy…

 

November 14, 2024- 5:30am (0530 hours)

I gotta get used to reading, writing and speaking military time. It’s not that hard but being used to a certain system for most of your life and then having to change is a bit difficult. About to grab a quick bite to eat before heading to the gym. Training begins at 0700 (guess I’m catching on a bit better than I thought I would) and to be completely honest, I’m extremely nervous. Chuck Hansen is 21 and has been co-piloting Striker Eureka for quite awhile and I’m intimidated. Intimidated by a kid… that’s a first. Anyway, here I go!

 

November 14, 2024- 3:00pm (1500 hours)

Chuck Hansen is an ASS!! And I’m being really nice about that. Though I’m surprised I’ve been able to tolerate him for this long, and it’s only been a few hours! Sure he’s experienced and knows what he’s doing but his attitude could use a major overhaul! How can a kid like that have come from the same gene pool as his father? Hercules (Herc as he likes to be called) Hansen is an amazing person: kind, caring and DEFINITELY not an ass!! Chuck’s only redeeming factor at the moment is his dog, Max. Cute little fur ball! As for the rest of the morning, training went well once you got past him. Of all the candidates training, I’m at the top of the “class” along with another: a girl named Megan. Really sweet and can kick ass like you wouldn’t believe!! Apparently Mr. Perfect wants another group session later today with Megan and me, to see how we stand up against him. Can’t wait… :/ At least things are going a bit smoother for Tyler and Nick. I managed to catch up with them briefly in the mess hall. Tyler being in LOCCENT is like watching a kid on Christmas morning! Same can be said about Nick getting to work in the Jaeger bays. I’m actually jealous of them in a way. They’ve been able to get a closer look at Striker Eureka before I could even get a chance to look at her! Anyway, got a few hours to kill before the next “lesson”.

 

November 14, 2024- 8pm (2000 hours)

I wish that there could’ve been cameras rolling in the gym earlier! I TOTALLY put Hansen in his place, which is right on his ass!! Megan came close but he managed to pull a fast on her. I think having the chance to go after her gave me a better perspective on how he operates. But he just called it dumb luck. Whatever. My “dumb luck” managed to land him on the mat four times out of five matches! Smug little bastard looked like he wanted to rip my head off. I think it pissed him off even more when I kept my cool and acted like it was no big thing. I wanted to remind him of his taunting about “the bigger they are, the harder they fall” but kept my mouth shut. I knew from the start that I was going to tower over the kid. Me being 26 and over six feet tall only gave me advantages in certain aspects of life but now I was the bigger person in more ways than one, as he looked up to meet my gaze just briefly. Though I think he had a reputation to uphold because he eventually accepted a handshake, mumbling something about “drift compatibility”; couldn’t be sure what he was saying through gritted teeth and a brief, very brief, human like encounter. I do believe there may be a decent, almost likeable, person belief that cocky, arrogant shell of his!

 

November 23, 2024

First chance at a new entry in my journal in over a week. Training has been hell, plus I’ve been doing my own personal routine when the time allows. I’m starting to get the reputation of overachiever, especially since I’ve been getting private sessions with Chuck whenever the chance arose. I wonder if Megan is have the same accusations thrown at her. When I’m not training, or trying to sleep, briefings take over the rest of the free time (whatever that means these days!). Nick got to have his 30 seconds of fame by giving a technical briefing of the Jaegers currently in service. In addition to Striker we only have an old Mark I, a rather old, banged up rust bucket that gives the phrase “more than meets the eye” a run for its money!! Cherno Alpha is a brutal war machine that I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong end of her wrath! The other is a Mark IV run by a set of triplets: Crimson Typhoon. I may not be as smart as Tyler but I understand enough, but I’d still like to know how they managed to get the neural bridge to work with three pilots instead of just two. If I can ever pull him away from his wonderland, I’ll have to ask him. There are also whispers about one of Marshall Pentecost’s best students leading a restoration team on an old Mark III Jaeger: the one and only Gipsy Danger. She was legend by herself but her two pilots had their own stories. My heart sank when I heard that Yancy Becket was killed and his younger brother Raleigh left the PPDC. Can’t say that I blame him after what he went through. He doesn’t deserve the crap being thrown at him about being washed up but everyone is entitled to their opinions (no matter how wrong they are). Wouldn’t mind meeting the guy one day, but he’s dropped off the radar. Maybe one day, when the world isn’t ending, we can somehow manage to bump into each other. This will be my last entry for a while, I’m sure. Things are getting intense training wise and I’m not sure I’ll have the strength, either physically or emotionally, to keep up this journal. I’ll update this whenever I get the chance but don’t hold your breath for anything soon, especially considering Thanksgiving is coming up soon.

 

December 5, 2024

It’s been almost two weeks since my last entry. A lot has happened since the last time I managed to find time to write. Good news/bad news time again, I’m afraid. The good news is that Thanksgiving went well. Managed to call home to see my mom and other family and a few friends. Tyler is moving on up in the world of LOCCENT hierarchy… if that’s even a thing. Now for the bad news: Megan has been taken out of training due to an injury. Docs say that she should make a full recovery but if she ever tries to do that level of training again, she could be paralyzed. But I know her days of working for the PPDC are far from over. She’ll probably end up in LOCCENT right next to Tyler. First chance I get, I’ll be swinging by the infirmary to see her. Next bit of bad news. Nick is also in the infirmary with some pretty serious injuries. There was an accident in one of the Jaeger bays; a crane or some type of heavy machinery malfunctioned. Two people were killed, a few others are in worse shape than Nick but the doctors here are really good and have high hopes he’ll pull through. Things have calmed down a bit because of that, and the fact that Striker had to be recalled to Australia. Chuckles told me he’d put in a good word with the Marshall about my performance but I’m not holding my breath. He’s lightened up a bit with me over the past few weeks but he’s still a cocky son of a bitch that I want to knock on his ass a few times. Striker will be State side again in a week or so, so until then, it’s rest and relaxation until further notice with the occasional training session. I’m looking forward to the break.

 

December 12, 2024

We lost another Shatterdome yesterday. Vladivostok closed its doors and Cherno Alpha has been put in limbo in regards to a transfer. Things aren’t looking too great for the remaining Shatterdomes. There are only three left now, LA, Sydney and Hong Kong. The rumors have started circulating again that LA will be the next one to close down. If we close up shop, I’m not sure how much longer the Jaeger program will be able to survive. If we go down, then I fear the world will be next. Megan and Nick are recovering nicely. Both are in great spirits and are looking forward to getting released. No clue yet when that may be but if they’re not careful, the doctors will be sedating them to make them more compliant with recovery orders!! Striker Eureka returned to the bay earlier today. Did I forget to mention that I have great news as well? Seems like Chuckles came through after all. I’m actually starting to like the kid more and more (still needs a major attitude adjustment). He surprised me when I was on my way back to my room, saying that Marshall Pentecost himself wanted to see me. Whatever shock I had forced out of my system returned full force when I met the man and heard what he had to say. I’ve seen him before obviously, but I’ve never been face to face with him, shaking his hand. He, Herc and Chuck congratulated me on my training efforts and decided to move on to the next phase; the drift simulator. My simulator partner was going to be none other than Dimples himself. All three said it seemed like the logical course of action considering how closely Chuck and I had been working together over the past month. During this, I couldn’t help but notice the huge grin Tyler had on his face. It makes me wonder if he knew about this and how long he had known!! Simulator training begins in two days.

 

December 14, 2024- 8am (0800 hours)

Well, today is the big day. Tyler decided to throw me a celebratory party last night. It was really awkward when the nurses threw us out of the infirmary but it was still kinda fun. There are butterflies in my stomach and I’m wondering how they got there; I don’t recall eating caterpillars recently. All I know is, I want them gone!! I don’t need this today!! There’s nothing to be nervous about really. It’s just another training session. A training session that will allow me to get a bit “intimate” so to speak with another person in ways that almost seem like they violate some kind of rule. I’ll be in his head, and he’ll be in mind. Nothing to worry about right? Just try to concentrate on how awesome you’re gonna look in that slick, black PPDC Jaeger drivesuit! I’m not vain at all, not one damn bit!

 

December 14, 2024- 1pm (1300 hours)

Drifting simulation went well for the most part. Though I haven’t seen Chuck since he left in a bit of a hurry after the simulation ended. I don’t know if I did anything wrong during the session but the way he left has me worried. Hell, I’m worried about myself at the moment. Getting inside Chuck’s head, seeing his memories, feeling his emotions and seeing a part of him only his father has seen has be a bit rattled. And trying to figure out where his memories end and mine begin. Apparently someone screwed up in LOCCENT (I swear if it was Tyler he and I are gonna have words later) and set the feeds way too high, causing a neural handshake that was really meant when both pilots are experts. But now, I can partially see why he is the way he is. I can’t say that I blame him, I mean, losing my mom at the age he lost his would be hard on me as well. And Herc: well, he seems like a great guy, but from what I saw, he was never a perfect father. I can’t judge the man, because all I have are the memories of his son, so it’s a one sided argument. I’ll be lucky if the training continues; depends on Chuck I guess. More than likely, I’ll be switched over to the newer single pilot simulator. Hoping for some type of good news/update tomorrow.

 

December 14, 2024- 9pm (2100 hours)

Emergency entry! Just had a visit from Chuck and Max. Surprised the hell out of me to get a knock on my door at 7pm and to see Chuck Hansen standing there holding a leash and looking rather unsure of himself. And then, we talked. Not a full blown, “we’re now friends so let’s do some male bonding” sorta talking, but talking nonetheless. And I could see that it could do him good to open up as much as he could; as much as he would let someone else in. He told me about the day his mom died, how he said he’ll never forgive his dad for making the “wrong choice”. I was gonna interject (hey look at me using words like interject. Mom will be so proud!) but decided against it. Like I said, he needed to get this off his chest. We talked about the drift, how he could feel my motivation stemming from what happened with Fiend and how he couldn’t help but feel a little bit guilty considering Striker supposedly took that monster down. He also mentioned the feelings I had started to develop for him. DAMN!! Did not expect that to come up! Thankfully we both decided that was conversation for another time. Then it was back to his dad; about how strong of a compatibility they had and even though our drift was strong, it wouldn’t be anything like theirs. But I knew that from the start. How can you compete with someone’s dad? But he already seemed to know that. I have to say that the thing that surprised me the most was when he was leaving. A side of Chuck Hansen showed itself that I’m sure no one has ever seen before. He stuck his hand out, and I gladly accepted. Although it was only a few steps later that the old Chuck returned… and warned me not to tell anyone about our chat, or else. I gotta admit, it’s kinda cute to hear him talk… and in a way get threatened with a devilish grin!!

 

December 20, 2024

It finally happened. The rumors came true. The Los Angeles Shatterdome has been shut down. Most active personnel have been ordered to transfer to the Hong Kong Shatterdome. Striker Eureka has been ordered to return to Sydney to prepare for decommissioning and closure of their Shatterdome as well. This is it. It’s over. Despite Hong Kong being able to remain operational for at least another eight months, we all fear that the world will soon come to an end. Nick will be transferred to a hospital back home, Megan and Tyler will be heading to Hong Kong as well. I just hope those in charge know what they’re doing and will be proud of themselves for the choices they’ve made. Off to pack and send out hopes for a brighter future. Hell, a future period would be nice.

 

December 30, 2024

I took a “layover” in Sydney before making my way to Hong Kong. There were two separate requests for that. One from Marshall Pentecost to assist in the shutdown of Sydney’s Shatterdome. Yep. You read that right. Sydney’s gone now too, leaving only Hong Kong as the remaining operational Shatterdome. The other request surprisingly came from Chuck. Seems like I’m the only one besides Max who he can tolerate (or rather can tolerate him). Either way, it’s nice to see my friend again after almost two weeks… wow! When did we start using the f-word to describe each other?! Huh… I’ll definitely have to look into that one. It’s a shame really. I’ve always wanted to visit Australia, but not under these circumstances. The chopper is about to land so I guess I’ll “sign off” for now.

 

January 2, 2025

All things considered, celebrating the New Year in Australia was amazing. Well, it was right up until the point when a Category IV kaiju decided to show up… and then break through the “impenetrable” Wall of Life. Guess when they say “those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it” is true. Because all I could think of was the Titanic and how she was “unsinkable”. Guess the iceberg got the last laugh there. And so did Mutavore in regards to the Wall. I wonder how the politicians are gonna weasel their way out of this one. All I know is, they better be glad that Striker hadn’t been relocated to Hong Kong yet. She was about to loaded onto the transport pad when the attack began and thankfully Herc and Chuck were still around or things would’ve been a lot worse. I even saw Chuckles on the news; smug and arrogant as ever. But I think it’s just a mask; although no one would ever believe me if I told them that. And that includes Chuck. But hey, silver lining time… kinda. I finally get to pilot a Jaeger! A Mark V nonetheless. Well, I sorta get to pilot one. Herc’s gotta head to Hong Kong ASAP to meet with Marshall Pentecost, temporarily leaving Chuck without a co-pilot; guess that’s where I come in. Simple assignment so I’m sure I can pull it off. We, or rather I, suit up in about an hour.

 

January 3, 2025- 6pm (1800 hours. Seriously?! 13 hours already passed since we got into Hong Kong?!)

Getting to co-pilot Striker Eureka has been the best feeling of my life. And Chuck couldn’t help but use my excitement against me… the prick! Though this time, I say that lovingly. With our minds connected he could feel my excitement, which I think was amplified by his own; the exhilaration he feels every time he steps into Striker’s conn-pod. However the excitement was short lived after we made it to the Hong Kong Shatterdome. The universe is full of freak accidents it would seem and today, one of them just happened to have my name on it. As soon as Chuck and I parked Striker into her bay and disconnected from the conn-pod, we made our way down to the main floor of the Shatterdome. We found Herc waiting for us with Max, but what we did know, was that a nearby container had been improperly handled and misplaced. The explosion wasn’t a large one, but it was big enough to do some damage. Including damage to my right leg. A few pieces of metal tore through the drive suit and embedded themselves into my leg where they have made themselves nice and comfy and feeling right at home. Thankfully Chuck, Herc and Max were “shielded” by Striker’s food and everyone else only suffered from minor injuries. Not sure how long I was out due to the pain meds for the operation to remove the shrapnel, but I didn’t even noticed when it was given to me. All I remember is being in pain on the Shatterdome floor with Herc and Chuck standing over me, then waking up in the infirmary and seeing a picture next to my bed that I don’t even remember being taken. Sydney, just a day ago; Chuck and I in our drivesuits before we made our way into the conn-pod. Apparently someone thought snapping the picture was a good idea, and quite frankly I’m glad they did. Chuck and Herc also made an appearance, roughly the same time as the doctor. She said my leg would heal perfectly in time, but there was no way I would be piloting a Jaeger anytime soon. Great… just great! At least I had a moment before the dream died. At least I would be getting out soon, in time for dinner. The news that the surgery didn’t require an overnight stay was surprising (guess they needed the room to prep for more pressing matters that may be presenting themselves), however not as surprising as the Chuck gave me as he wheeled me out of the infirmary and towards my room: Raleigh Becket had reappeared and was not at the Hong Kong Shatterdome. As that little bit of information sunk in, I barely heard Chuck mention he would be back to push me to the mess hall for dinner.

 

January 3, 2025- 9pm (2100 hours)

The bastard left me!! He left me in the mess hall!! He has NO idea how awkward that was!! Chuck Hansen left me there and has lost major cool points with me. WOW do I feel like a kid saying…writing that. Wheelchair bound, Chuck rolled me into the mess hall, with Max in tow. Parking me, at the table with Striker’s team, he left me in charge of Max while he went to get our food. Not long after he returned, the famous Raleigh Becket walks in. A lot of the mess hall’s occupants turn to stare but try not to make it obvious (and they failed). Then Herc’s voice fills the air, handing him a tray and offering for him to sit with us. Chuck didn’t look to happy about this. And then Chuck released the beast again, the cockiness which somewhat subsided returned with full force. Mr. Big, Bad and powerful was back, smartass comments and all. And then he left, Max in tow. Herc apologized, telling us he didn’t know whether to hug his son at times or kick his ass. Raleigh told him his opinion and despite Chuck being my friend, I couldn’t agree with him more. One good thing came out of Chuck abandoning me, however: Raleigh offered to wheel me back to my room. And it was an amazing experience. The distance was short but in that time the subjects ranged from when he and his brother piloted together, to my incident earlier in the bay and how he was slightly jealous of me being able to pilot a Mark V, even though his heart would always belong to Gipsy Danger. I couldn’t say that I blamed him there. Once we got to my room, he helped me out of the chair and up the few steps leading to the door. He asked if I’d feel up to coming to the trials to determine his co-pilot the next morning because it felt like I was the only one who seemed to be happy he was there. Of course I agreed to come, and then we said goodnight.

 

January 4, 2025- 5:30am (0530 hours I’m sure I have the military time down now, but just in case someone decides to read this and needs the help, I’ll stick with putting both  
time formats.)

Whatever type of pain meds they gave me for my leg, they worked wonders. No way am I running a marathon today, but I feel comfortable enough to use a cane to walk with instead of rolling around in a wheelchair. However, I’ll see how happy I am by the end of the day. Raleigh’s co-pilot trials start soon so I’m hoping to see some impressive skill displays, and I know I won’t be disappointed.

 

January 4, 2025- 12pm (Take a guess what time it is in military format, you should be able to get this by now!)

What a day! And that’s putting it mildly!! Raleigh had quite a turnout to watch the candidates try and prove themselves worthy of co-piloting Gipsy Danger. The first thing I noticed, and for the longest time I couldn’t take my eyes away, were the scars that adorned Raleigh’s left arm. Circuitry scars, I remember he said, from the battle with Knifehead, when he lost his brother. Second, I was in complete awe of how incredible his fighting skills still were even after a five year absence. These guys didn’t stand a chance!! And neither would I (I did happen to find out later that I was originally included in the list.. go figure!). But the most impressive sight of the morning came when Mako Mori, Stacker Pentecost’s pride and joy, the head of the Mark III restoration, entered the ring. It was unbelievable!! She actually managed to take Raleigh down, and the craziest part was that he seemed rather excited about it! He even told the Marshall that Mako was his new co-pilot. The joy on her face didn’t last long because he shot the idea down immediately. Raleigh was to report to the Shatterdome 2 hours later to find out who his co-pilot would be. Even I had to admit after seeing Mako in action, there really wasn’t a better choice. And then the afternoon took a rather… interesting… turn. I managed to make my way to LOCCENT, to join Herc, Chuck and Pentecost for Gipsy’s trial run. As I made my way to the main window, I caught a glimpse of Tyler on the second floor of LOCCENT; he threw me a quick wave and returned to work after I sent him an acknowledging nod. It was another shocker for me when I found out that Mako had been given the green light to be Raleigh’s co-pilot. As soon as the conn-pod joined with Gipsy’s body, one of the kaiju science guys, Dr. Gottlieb ran, or rather did what he could in terms of running while hobbling with a cane (though he was doing a better job than I could with my own cane) into the room spouting off about Dr. Geiszler drifting with a kaiju. Needless to say we were all in shock. Pentecost left to deal with that while the rest of us turned our attention back to Gipsy. Aside from another snide remark from Chuck that was quickly shot down by Herc, things were going smoothly until Tendo Choi (who I had heard about but had never actually met until now) was alerted to the fact that Mako was chasing the R.A.B.I.T. It was a scramble to try and get everything back under control but bad went to worse when Gipsy’s plasma cannon came online. Frantically, Tendo evacuated the room while Herc, Chuck and I started to pull plugs and wires in an effort to bring Gipsy offline. At the last moment, when Tendo managed to pull the main power feed, Pentecost came running back in and we all stood watching as the plasma energy began to fade away and the crisis seemed averted. Or so I thought. It wasn’t until about an hour or so later that I found out all hell broke loose. I made my way to the Jaeger bay to find Chuck. Oh I found him alright. But he looked like he got his ass kicked in a fight, and from the whispers I heard, I wasn’t far from the truth. Asking about what happened apparently wasn’t a good idea and he began to question my “loyalties” and friendship when I told him that maybe he did need that attitude adjustment I had always thought about. I should’ve just kept my mouth shut because things didn’t end well for us. So I gave up, I turned around and left, passing Herc as I left. He looked as though he were about to say something to me, but decided against it when he saw how pissed off I was. Guess I do need to apologize to him for that when I get a chance. I made it back to my room, still highly ticked off and somehow managed to squeeze out this rather long entry. Maybe tomorrow will be better; but with the rate of decay around here, I highly doubt it.

 

January 5, 2025

It’s 11pm now, and everything is frantic. Frantic like you would not believe. Hours ago, there was a double even in the breach; two category four kaiju came through and headed for Hong Kong. We were still dealing with the aftermath of the failed Gipsy Danger trial run when it happened. Both Mako and Raleigh were grounded leaving the problem to be dealt with by Striker, Cherno Alpha, and Crimson Typhoon. I wanted to tell Chuck so badly to be careful but I was still mad at him. And there was no need to tell him what he already knew. Besides, in the rush of it all, I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to see him anyway. Then, the unthinkable happened. We lost Crimson Typhoon, and shortly thereafter, Cherno was gone as well. As Striker was gearing up for an assault (an assault that was going against orders) a massive EMP shorted everything. We were blind and Striker was dead in the water. We were about to lose. And then Raleigh spoke. It was time for Gipsy Danger to get back into the game, and as reluctant as I think Marshall Pentecost was, he knew it was time as well. As soon as Gipsy was in the air and moving toward the combat zone, every person with any kind of technical knowhow set to work on trying to reboot the Shatterdome and get us back on line. Nearly an hour passed before some kind of progress had been made in restoring power. By this time, the fight was nearly over, being relayed to us from helicopter viewpoints over the radio. Gipsy had taken down Leatherback (the one responsible for the EMP) and was now in pursuit of Otachi. When the first sparks of life in the power grip lit up, almost everyone who wasn’t necessary in continuing the reboot piled out into the pouring rain to check for an update. Gipsy had won, but was now falling towards the ground, her speed combined with the heat and friction from atmospheric reentry made her approach look more like an asteroid instead of a giant robot. Pentecost relayed instructions to Raleigh in a last ditch effort to slow her descent, and we all hoped it would be enough. And then she hit. I swear we could feel the impact even from the Shatterdome, but I don’t know if that was actually the case or if it was really my heart pounding away in my chest. We all waited, barely breathing, waiting for some kind of news that Gipsy had survived. The smoke cleared and it was confirmed; Raleigh and Mako were alive and well, and the complex erupted into applause and cheers! As Pentecost ordered the two Jaegers to be battle ready, Striker was already being lowered into the Shatterdome for repairs, but Herc was hurt. Badly. Between his broken collar bone and my injured leg, we had no clue who was going to co-pilot striker with Chuck for what was most definitely a suicide mission. As soon as Raleigh and Mako made their way back to the base, they led the crowds like grand marshals of a parade. Our celebration was short lived as Pentecost addressed us all with the facts. We had no time to mourn or celebrate, there was a job to be done. But then, his nose started bleeding and he left, leaving us all to wonder what was wrong with our leader. But those questions had to wait. There was a job to be done. As I made my way towards LOCCENT, I felt an arm on my shoulder, pulling me around and way from the crowds. I was surprised to see that it was Chuck, especially considering his “mask” seemed to have been broken and his expression was a soft one. I figured enough was enough that this was no time to be mad. But before I could ask if he was okay, Chuck Hansen surprised me yet again by pulling me into a hug and said that he was sorry so softly that I wasn’t even sure that he had actually said the words. Then as quickly as the moment had happened, it was over. Chuck pulled away, gave me a small smile and then disappeared into the crowd.

 

January 6, 2025

It’s over!! It’s over and we WON!!! The breach has been destroyed and the human race is still around to see a new day!! At least for now! However our victory came with a great cost spanning the years and recent days. Marshall Stacker Pentecost, in the place of Herc, piloted Striker Eureka along with Chuck. The mission, as our luck has been going lately, didn’t go to plan whatsoever. The triple event Gottlieb predicted happened, with the very first Category V kaiju making an appearance. And on top of that, the two science guys burst in yelling about the plan not going to work. That they needed a kaiju to help get them through the breach. The everything went from bad to worse. Both Striker and Gipsy were badly damaged and Striker had no choice but to detonate the bomb she was carrying. I don’t know how Herc managed to keep going at that point because I sure as hell wouldn’t have been able to. The interference from the detonation scrambled out systems for a few seconds, but then Gipsy entered the breach. Before we knew it, it was over. Gipsy self destructed inside the “Anteverse” as it was called, hopefully sealing Earth away from those aliens forever. Raleigh and Mako were safe, and the choppers were on their way to pick them up. But the surprises weren’t over yet. Roughly two miles from Mako and Raleigh another pod was seen floating, but there wasn’t any signal. The pod was damaged but it still held an occupant: one Chuck Hansen, unconscious and worse for wear but alive none the less. It seemed to take forever for the rescue crews to return to the Shatterdome with the heroes in tow. The pilots of the late Gipsy Danger were one again treated like royalty while Herc made his way to the infirmary to check on his son. I had to admit, as much as I wanted to join the celebrations, I joined him, but was not alone. Mako and Raleigh, at the disapproval of medical staff, quickly followed in my footsteps to find Herc. The three of us caught up to him just in time to be there when he was told that Chuck would be okay, but had some serious damage done. But nothing that time wouldn’t be able to heal. And then he broke down, and deserved the moment he earned to know his son was alive and by his side, so to speak. It was almost eight hours before we could actually speak with Chuck. Again I wish I had a camera to record him because the meds he was on would have made him the star attraction at a standup comedy show. However someone should have probably informed the doctors of the old saying that laughter is the best medicine because they did NOT approve of our laughing and quickly ushered us out. So now we wait. Wait for Chuck to be coherent enough to rejoin the land of the living and wait to see if life will ever return to some since of normalcy. One can only hope!

 

January 13, 2025

Chuck was finally able to leave the infirmary. And payback was a bitch!! I gave him a taste of his own medicine by leaving him stranded in the mess hall in the middle of the night for a few hours. Raleigh and Mako thought it was hilarious, but Chuck seemed to disagree. It’s amazing how the five of us (six if you count Max) have grown together into one big family in such a short time (Tyler and Nick and now the jealous ones and it’s rather funny too!!). However, I still have my other family back home in SC. Which reminds me… I’m gonna be scared to open the 300 plus messages I’ve been getting from my mom the past few days. I’ve been meaning to respond to those I swear!!! She’s never going to forgive me for this!! Perhaps if I send her a picture of our happy little group, she’ll understand and forgive me… I hope!! And it would seem Chuck’s sense of humor has returned. He’s suggested easing the blame game by setting his dad up on a date with my mom. I told him that was dangerous territory but in this day and age, anything is possible. So, my dear journal, don’t expect any other updates soon. I think you’ve served your purpose and I thank you for your help.


End file.
